


Worth It

by winterironspiderling



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Canon Compliant, M/M, POV Alternating, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22161649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterironspiderling/pseuds/winterironspiderling
Summary: Everyone is born with their soulmate's birth year marked on their wrists in black. A birth year narrows the search for one's beloved, but it isn't until soulmates unite that their marks turn red and confirm the bond.//84 years apart, Bucky and Peter are pitied for having marks that mean they've missed out on their soulmate. Neither ever expect to find one another.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Peter Parker
Comments: 37
Kudos: 639
Collections: Marvel(ous)Universe





	Worth It

**Author's Note:**

> For WinterSpider Week Day Two!! :)
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy.

When Bucky was born with the number 2001 on his wrist, everyone in the hospital room looked at each other uneasily. Surely that high of a number was impossible. There had to be some sort of mistake.

Bucky grew up overhearing whispered conversations.

_“2001, that’s nearly eighty years from now.”_

_“I know, but we can’t afford to see a soulmate specialist. The boy will have to endure.”_

_“But how is it possible that his soulmate could be born so far in the future? Closer to James’ death than his birth.”_

_“There have been cases of this before. I asked at work.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Soulmates that only share a few years together, or a few moments. Some may never meet if they’re across the world. Most of us are lucky to find our beloveds share the same city as we do. Bucky will be okay. He's strong.”_

_“The poor dear. He’ll be alone for the rest of his life.”_

Bucky was teased by some of the crueler kids, and pitied by some of the kind ones. He was called cradle robber, loveless, and pathetic. A boy, Steve Rogers who was born with no year on his wrist became his best friend, and they commiserated about their love lives. If they were both going to miss out on soulmates, at least they had each other's friendship.

\--

When Peter was born with the number 1917 on his wrist, his parents kissed him on the forehead and promised to love him instead of the soulmate he’d missed out on. The Parker family made sure to care for Peter, so he would never want for love or affection. Everyone felt sorry for the boy whose soulmate was either long dead or long forgotten in a nursing home somewhere in the world.

Peter wasn’t bothered by his loss since his family and friends made up for anything he was missing with unconditional support, but after a while it grew tiresome being surrounded by romance when he could know nothing but platonic love.

He obsessed over old newspapers, yearbooks, ship manifestos, consensuses, and even war rosters. It was customary for everyone’s number to be listed right next to their names and birthdays. It made for a fun ritual to guess who belonged to whom when several people on a list had the same years written in their soulmate number column.

Anyone who was born in 1917 was an interest to Peter, both men and women, but no matter what documents he pored over, everyone listed their soulmate as being born at least within a decade of their own birth year. Nobody he came across from 1917 had anything close to 2001 as their number.

\--

When Bucky awoke as the Winter Soldier and with one arm gone, he wondered if Hydra had taken it purposely to remove his soulmate number. It wasn’t unheard of as a torture tactic. Either the number would be burned or cut away, or the limb removed completely, not only so the victim couldn’t be easily identified, but also so the victim had nothing to hold onto. Some torturers even brainwashed prisoners to misremember their number after it was removed.

He remembered injuring it in the fall, but it was a hazy and painful memory. Whether it was purposeful or incidental, Bucky clung to 2001 more than he clung to his service number. He would never let Hydra take that from him. No matter what.

\--

Peter barely had time to think about his number anymore after he became Spider-Man. If not the enhanced senses and the power that came with being a superhero, he loved the distraction. How could he focus on his dead and lost soulmate if he was helping people? Maybe he would meet him or her in the afterlife. When he had a spare moment, he let his mind wander, fantasizing about meeting his loved one for the first time--even if it was in death--and consoling them after living such a lonely life.

He imagined what his soulmate must’ve gone through, living from 1917 and on knowing they would never live long enough to see their betrothed. He hoped for his love’s sake that they had died young or had at least found a way to live with the loneliness, and he hoped they hadn’t been treated too harshly for being different. The worst Peter had been called was grave robber. After a while he’d learned to laugh at it because it was true. Whoever his soulmate was would’ve been over 100 years old if they were alive. 

When news had first spread of Captain America’s revival, Peter’s heart had leapt into his throat because that would’ve made so much sense. A man lost in time, come forward into the future to unite with his soulmate. His joy had lasted only a few moments until he’d researched Steve Rogers and found that the man was born in 1918 and had no soulmate number. Peter ended up feeling sorrier for Steve than he did himself. He vowed to stop looking, to stop torturing himself.

\--

When Bucky fought the spiderling alongside Sam, he let himself be distracted. He attempted to catch a glimpse of the kid's wrist, but the suit concealed everything. After being thrust into the future and being free from Hydra—physically—for a short time, he checked everyone’s wrist like it was an addiction.

Several people had the number 2001 written on them, but the numbers had turned red like they did when soulmates united. Still, Bucky took comfort knowing his number wouldn’t have been such an abnormality—although he couldn’t see a physical number on his body, he’d committed it to memory and planned to have it marked on him in one way or another, probably a tattoo.

He clung to the hope that somewhere through all the pain he’d suffered, there was a silver lining. Bucky had lived so long and with such difficulty, that he deserved to be rewarded for it, didn’t he? Thoughts of his beloved waiting somewhere for him, sad and lonely because they had 1917 marked on their body fueled him to escape the clutches of Hydra. He wanted a chance to look for his soulmate where he could finally find them and without the risk of being activated and losing more time.

\--

Peter had promised himself he wouldn't look anymore because it was pointless, but that didn’t stop him from checking out the Winter Soldier’s arm when he fought him in Germany. It was a moment of weakness. If not Steve, then Bucky. That had to be it. Peter had allowed himself to research James Buchanan Barnes when the news had been released that he was alive, but there was no record of him ever existing. Hydra had seen to that, and when Peter found a metal arm in place of flesh, he knew hope was lost. Even if Bucky had a number, he’d probably forgotten it. Peter let it go for good.

\--

Bucky went to live at Avengers Compound after Shuri and T’Challa had okayed his release from Wakanda. His mind was clear of Hydra’s poison, and some of the better memories of his family and Steve were all that remained. He remembered the lives he’d taken and the pain he’d caused, but among those memories was still the memory of 2001.

As soon as he settled into American life and life around Tony Stark, he got the tattoo he’d wanted. The serum he’d been injected with prevented ink from bonding with his skin, but Tony had no problem developing a special needle to get the job done. T’Challa had offered to engrave the number on his metal arm, but he’d wanted it on his skin like everyone else had, even if it meant having the number on the wrong wrist.

\--

When Peter graduated high school and finally got to move to the Compound, he vibrated with excitement for what seemed liked days. He could see his entire life before his eyes. A life of crimefighting, bonding with his teammates and friends, and inventing with Tony. He would throw himself into being Spider-Man, and leave the number 1917 behind.

\--

Bucky was eager to meet the spiderling in person since the last time he’d encountered the boy was before the Avengers’ conflicts had been resolved. He was looking forward to putting a face to the name Peter Parker and giving the kid a closer look at the metal arm he’d thought was so cool.

He gave the kid some space for the first day he was there—Tony was showing him all around and helping prepare his stay room anyway, and the rest of the Avengers were fawning over the newest and youngest member of the team.

Bucky ended up running into Peter in the kitchen accidentally.

“Can’t sleep?” Bucky commented.

“I just stay up late,” Peter admitted. “It’s only 12.”

Bucky nodded, watching as Peter perused the cupboards for snacks.

“Sorry if it seems like I’ve been ignoring you,” Peter said after a moment. “I’ve just been busy getting settled in, and I meant to introduce myself since the last time we met wasn’t the most ideal.”

“I was planning on doing the same,” Bucky admitted. “I kept my distance on purpose to let you settle in unbothered, but everyone else seemed to jump on you anyway.”

Peter grinned, “Yeah, well... Nice to meet you for real, dude.”

“Call me Bucky.”

“Cool, I’m Peter, but yeah you know that.”

Bucky extended his left hand on purpose since he knew the kid was dying to see it up close, and so that Peter would have to expose his soulmate number. Bucky was curious.

Bucky’s eyes moved hungrily to examine Peter’s wrist, but the boy was wearing long sleeves. Of course. Still, he got enough out of the interaction when Peter squeezed his hand firmly and immediately started gushing about how cool it was. Bucky was content to let him. Peter’s eyes never diverted to his right arm, whether because he wasn’t curious, because he’d found his soulmate already, or because the boy didn’t expect a soulmate number to be on the right wrist, Bucky didn’t know.

When Bucky searched for Peter Parker on the internet, he was pleasantly surprised to see that he was born in 2001, but he couldn’t let that mean anything. Lots of people were born in 2001, and if Peter had 1917 on him, he would’ve been a lot more eager to check Bucky’s wrist out since he was the only living person from that year. Or someone would've said something, right? Bucky tossed and turned wondering if Peter didn’t mention it because he’d given up as a child just as Bucky had, or because he was like Steve and didn’t have a number, or because of any of the other thousand reasons Bucky could think of.

\--

Peter walked into the lab, greeting Tony with a slap on the back. “What’s that?”

“Special vibranium needle and vibranium infused ink,” Tony responded. “Filed under successful projects, obviously.”

“For what?” Peter asked in confusion.

“James wanted a tattoo,” Tony explained.

“Oh,” Peter said. “Weird. I didn’t notice he had one. Did you already do it?”

“Yeah, couple days ago, why are you so hot and bothered by it?” Tony wondered.

“I don’t know,” Peter shrugged. “I didn’t think he’d be a tattoo type guy.”

“He wanted his number tattooed on his arm,” Tony explained. “Since it couldn’t be on the left, he wanted it on the right.”

“That’s so romantic,” Peter said. “He still wants his number even though his soulmate is long gone? Wow.”

Tony frowned, “The number was 2001 not 500BC. I’m sure that—”

“His number is 2001?”

“Tony, how could you not tell me that?”

Tony paused. “Holy shit. He’s your 1917.”

Peter started gnawing on his thumb and he paced. “How could you forget that? The first thing you ever said to me was ‘1917, tough go’.”

“Well, I had other things on my mind. I’m…sorry.”

Peter frowned. “Well what am I supposed to do? My number didn’t turn red when we shook hands…Is it possible that it’s wrong?”

“You both have to be aware, Pete. He’s surrounded by 2001’s everywhere. He’s not used to having the option to look.”

“Oh my God.” Tears welled up in Peter’s eyes as he thought of a younger Bucky growing up all alone, and then having to endure a lifetime of pain on top of it all. And after all of that, the man had still gotten 2001 marked on his body; he still believed in his chance for love.

“Go get ‘em, kid,” Tony saluted Peter. “Just walk up to him and show him your wrist. I’m sure things will take care of themselves.”

“But—”

“Shut up and go.”

“Okay,” Peter nodded. “Okay, yeah. I can do this…”

\--

Bucky didn’t do well being scared and nearly flew across the room to choke out whoever had just burst into his bedroom.

“Bucky!”

“Jesus Christ,” Bucky said. “Don’t you know how to knock?” He smiled while he said it because the sight of Peter’s frazzled expression and wild hair was ridiculously cute.

“Uhh, I have something to tell you? Sort of?” Peter was smiling so big his face barely had enough room for the rest of his features.

Bucky looked at Peter with a puzzled expression. “Okay, shoot.”

“I’m so nervous,” Peter put a hand to his forehead. “I can’t breathe. I never thought this would happen, but here you are, and I can’t believe how long you had to wait, and what you had to go through, Bucky. I’m so sorry, but I’m here now, and we can be together, and holy shit, I feel like a million butterflies just exploded in my stomach.”

Bucky looked at Peter, finally understanding the message he was trying to convey. “Show me.”

Peter practically ripped his sleeve off at the seams just to expose his wrist.

“2001,” Bucky breathed. He took Peter’s hand in his own. “Finally.”

Peter nodded, watching in awe while the 1917 on his wrist turned red. “We’re going to have to update your tattoo,” Peter joked.

Bucky took Peter into a body crushing hug, and Peter hugged him back just as tightly. “I’ve waited my whole life for you,” Bucky said.

“I want to say ‘me too’, but that’s a bit unfair,” Peter admitted. His entire body was wrapped around Bucky’s, and he had no plans to ever let go. He buried his face in Bucky’s shoulder and breathed in the scent of the man he thought he’d lost.

“I can’t believe it,” Bucky mused. “You’re finally here.”

Peter couldn’t hold back his sniffle, “I’m so sorry you had to wait so long.”

“You’re worth the wait,” Bucky soothed Peter. “Don’t cry for me.”

Peter held onto Bucky tighter, finally pulling his face back from the man’s shoulder to look more closely at his face.

Bucky stared back, taking in every detail of the face that would be in his dreams for the rest of his days.

“Beautiful,” Bucky said.

Peter blushed and hid his face once more. “I spent my whole life thinking you were dead.”

“The thought of meeting you was the only thing keeping me alive.”

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is winterironspiderling. :)
> 
> ...it's been....84 years.


End file.
